Utility (e.g., power) and communications (e.g., telephone, Internet, cable television, etc.) service providers routinely utilize metal, plastic or composite enclosures to protect utility and communications equipment above ground from damage due to exposure to adverse environmental conditions, such as wind, moisture, dust or dirt and infestation. Such above-ground enclosures, referred to herein as “outdoor pedestals,” may be vented to protect active equipment, such as signal splitters and boosters, or may be entirely sealed to protect only passive equipment, such as terminations or tap ports. A limited number of outdoor pedestals may also be pressure, humidity or temperature controlled to facilitate the operating requirements of certain equipment. Regardless, the majority of outdoor pedestals are placed directly on the ground over the equipment for ease of installation and reconfiguration of the network. In some instances, the outdoor pedestal includes a base that is buried a minimal depth below the surface of the ground and a removable cover that is locked onto the base with a padlock or a locking mechanism that requires an industry specific tool to open. In other instances, the outdoor pedestal includes a lockable door, or a cover having a lockable door that is secure to a base. In either case, the outdoor pedestal is often maintained in position over the equipment by a ground stake that is driven into the earth beneath the equipment.
Outdoor pedestals may be located at any suitable location that is convenient to the service network. As a result, a large number of outdoor pedestals are located very near to businesses, residential homes and apartment buildings. These locations make the outdoor pedestals particularly vulnerable to attempts to steal the utility and/or communications services. In some localities, the outdoor pedestal itself is stolen for the scrap value of the material, for example, aluminum. Cable television services are especially vulnerable to attempted theft because of the relative ease with which the CATV signal may be intercepted, commonly referred to as “tapped,” and the relative difficulty of the CATV service provider to detect the theft without physically inspecting the tap ports located within the outdoor pedestal. Deterring or preventing theft of utility and/or communications services, especially cable television services, has become increasingly important as service networks extend further into dense urban environments and remote rural areas. In both instances, the opportunity for theft is high and the likelihood of detection is low. With the increasing use of coaxial cable to carry other broadband communications services, such as digital movies and Internet access, attempts to illegally obtain cable services will almost certainly continue to proliferate.
Most manufacturers of outdoor pedestals provide some form of security feature that prevents unauthorized access to the equipment housed within the pedestal. Known security features include the previously mentioned padlocks and locking mechanisms that require special keys or tools available only to authorized field service technicians. In some cases, the known security features have been successful theft deterrents. In an increasing number of instances, however, prospective thieves have circumvented the existing security features by simply removing the entire outdoor pedestal from over the equipment, making an illegal connection to the service, and replacing the outdoor pedestal in its original position over the equipment. Accordingly, what is needed is an outdoor pedestal for protecting utility and/or communications equipment that includes an effective and reliable means for preventing the pedestal from being removed to expose the equipment, thereby deterring theft of the outdoor pedestal itself, or of the utility and/or communications services.